Automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are continually increasing the level of visual standards in line with customer expectations for both styling and quality. This philosophy has filtered down onto the previously non-visually critical lower body parts of the vehicle. Typical examples are the splash guards (or mud flaps or mud guards) designed to protect the vehicle from road dirt, flying debris and grime thrown up from the rotating tire. In this specification, applicant uses the phrase splash guard synonymously with mud flaps or mud guards.
Modern standards for these components dictate that the visible exterior sections of the part must be painted in vehicle body color while the less visible area inside the wheel well should be natural black material colored to avoid contrast with the surrounding black components. The transition between body color and black must be clean and defined.
The traditional manufacturing process for two-tone painted parts requires a cumbersome and wasteful masking process. In order to produce the level of quality required by automotive manufacturers, this process usually involves a hand applied self-adhesive masking which can be removed once the painting process is complete. This leaves a clear and defined line between the painted and non-painted section of the components.
Applicant has found that the downsides of this process are high labor costs or high investments into automated masking equipment, high costs from the masking materials themselves and increased scrap from the painting process.